Planning commission forwards staff comments on Lower Swatara rezoning for warehouse development

At a meeting of the Dauphin County Planning Commission, staff and applicants discussed a rezoning request from Lower Swatara Township to change a parcel owned by Penn State from institutional/educational to a commercial/industrial designation to allow two warehouse buildings. Sean Delaney of Stevens & Lee, representing the contract purchaser, described a plan with two entrances, truck traffic directed to University Drive and employee autos to Rosedale, and a wooded lot retained by Penn State to serve as a buffer and stormwater management area. Delaney said, “the plan ... shows 2 entrances” and that “Penn State is on board” with the proposal.

The commission's planning staff reviewed the application and emphasized that an illustrative site plan for a rezoning request is not binding and highlighted potential transportation and pedestrian issues because the site sits adjacent to Penn State Harrisburg and near the airport connector. Staff asked whether University Drive could handle additional truck traffic and noted concerns about pedestrian movement on a campus-adjacent parcel. A planning staff member told the commission the plan should be treated as illustrative and that staff would provide comments for the township to address traffic routing, access points, and buffering.

After questions from commissioners about access layouts and whether the four other concurrent Lower Swatara zoning items were related to this project, the commission voted to forward staff comments to the township. Motion to do so was made by Chris (planning commissioner) and seconded by Joe Robinson; the motion carried by voice vote. The commission did not approve a rezoning or adopt conditions; staff will send its written comments to the township and the applicant, and the township will take up the formal decision through its planning and governing processes.